Port Hope

Overview

Port Hope is a community rich with unique experiences, amazing amenities, and a strong sense of history.

Boasting a beautiful downtown core with a plethora of shopping options and great restaurants, Port Hope welcomes all. A wide variety of art galleries, museums, and even live theatre offer a splash of culture for everyone’s tastes. Take a stroll through town and marvel at the historic architecture of more than 250 original buildings that have been restored and preserved.

Enjoy the outdoors? Go for a horseback ride along the Ganaraska Forest and savour the natural beauty that surrounds you. Port Hope is a wonderful and rare community that offers so many things to see and do. Come and see for yourself!

Recreation

Port Hope is the perfect location for everyone who loves the outdoors. Relax and unwind on the Ganaraska river, taking in a day of salmon or trout fishing. If land sports are more your speed, go for a hike in the Ganaraska Forest. Kilometres of trails allow you to enjoy what this forest has to offer year round. In the winter months, enjoy cross country skiing or snowshoeing. If you are feeling adventurous, there is even tree top climbing available.

Port Hope offers a variety of festivals and events year round. Enjoy community involvement while taking in some jazz or racing down the Ganaraska river. The annual jazz festival and 10 km river race are just two examples of the unique and amazing events that take place in Port Hope.

Love to hunt for antiques? Port Hope is known for its high quality antiques and with one of the best preserved streetscapes in Ontario, who could ask for better atmosphere?

With so much to see and do in Port Hope, anyone would be happy to call this town home.

History

The Cayuga were the first to call Port Hope home, arriving in 1779. The first european settlers joined Port Hope in 1793, then calling it Smith’s Creek. It was renamed Port Hope in 1817 after the lieutenant governor of Quebec, Colonel Henry Hope. It was incorporated as a town in 1834.

The original architecture of the town can still be seen today in so many of the buildings. There was little growth and development in Port Hope between 1881 and 1951 allowing the buildings to remain standing and many remain to this day. The Port Hope community is very committed to the restoration and preservation of their buildings. Come to Port Hope for a stroll down memory lane and take in these beautiful structures for yourself.

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